landscaping & external works 61 First impressions count
As with anything in life, first impressions can make or break a property deal. Peter Hughes of Everedge reveals the importance of landscaping in providing the essential ‘wow factor.’
ever, despite its vital influence on a prospective buyers decision when viewing a home, able to provide the winning ingredient. Because of this, a little garden design can go a
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long way. Small, subtle enhancements to the front of a property can put a buyer in the right frame of mind and can make the difference between them choosing to look further or walk away. Many small improvements, when added together, can lead to a successful development. Landscape edging is a product that blends in
with its surroundings. It isn’t there to be noticed, but when a garden, driveway or path is well edged and tidy, a buyer can see its quality. It is a rela- tively inexpensive addition to a build, but that added feeling of orderliness can make all the dif- ference. A variety of edging products are available – what’s suitable will depend on the requirements of the development. For example, a development utilising artificial
grass will require a certain type of edge, while high traffic areas will need something heavy duty. Edging products come in a variety of lengths to suit everything from short flower bed edges to long driveways or garden paths. Buyers are naturally drawn to properties which
wow them both inside and out. Show homes, almost unfailingly, have meticulously designed
ouses are frequently purchased on nothing more than their ‘wow factor.’ Kerb appeal is often forgotten how-
“Kerb appeal is an often forgotten yet vital influence on a prospective buyer’s decision when viewing a
home...the winning ingredient”
and prepared interiors. Similar amounts are far less likely to be spent on the exterior, however. If housebuilders are spending money to ensure the inside of their properties look up to standard, it would seem that they should take the same approach when designing a property’s exterior. Conversely, show homes often display featureless tarmac at the front, limp lawns and perhaps a lit- tle paving at the back. When buying a property, people usually want
to know that their home will be a reflection of themselves. A lot of buyers need help to see what possibilities and potential a property holds. Buy- ers frequently misunderstand show homes, confused that their home won’t look exactly like the property they’ve visited. It should be made clear that viewers are being shown the potential of a house – both inside and out. That way they will go into the purchase thinking about what they can do to put their mark on it. With land at a premium, large gardens are a
rarity in new developments. However, clever designs and subtle planting can make gardens appear bigger. The use of different coloured sur-
faces at the front can show how prospective buy- ers could add their own style to stand out from the crowd, making houses feel more personal. Landscape edging and other exterior ele-
ments aren’t going to increase revenues by any significant mark. However, when a buyer is looking at two properties with different house- builders, the show home with the clever finishing touches might just be the one that leaves a longer lasting, more satisfying impres- sion in the mind. It could mean the difference between them committing to one house and forgetting about another.
Peter Hughes is operations and marketing manager at Everedge
Enq. 179 respond online at
www.hbdonline.co.uk
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